2 BEST decisions bring cheer to commuters in western Suburbs

URL: paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

2 BEST decisions bring cheer to commuters in western suburbs

MUMBAI: Commuting within and to the western suburbs is set to become much easier, with the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking clearing two major pending proposals — one that will enhance bus services, and another that will improve train connectivity — on Thursday.

In the first decision, the undertaking’s much-awaited Chincholi bus depot in Goregaon will be commissioned on March 1, which will help improve connectivity in the suburb and nearby Oshiwara, and will connect these areas to other parts of the city.

The BEST committee also cleared crucial proposal to transfer 104 sq m of land in Jogeshwari to the Western Railway (WR).

The WR needs this plot to extend harbour line services from Andheri, where they terminate at present, to Goregaon. The project will be executed by Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC).

This will benefit train commuters from the eastern suburbs who have to change trains at Andheri at present to reach the distant western suburbs.

The BEST bus depot, spread across 18,440 sq m, can accommodate 115 buses and is the first to be constructed after 1996.

The location was chosen because Goregaon and Oshiwara are expanding rapidly and emerging into business hubs. Fourteen services have already been planned linking the new depot, to various parts of the city, including Wadala, Sion, Malad, Juhu, Mulund, Ghatkopar and Bhayander.

“These are major decisions that could improve commute. The MRVC authorities were repeatedly requesting the transfer of land. Similarly, the construction of the depot Chincholi would help increase services,” said OP Gupta, BEST general manager.

The transfer of the Jogeshwari land will clear the last hurdle to the harbour line extension. “This was the only patch where track laying work was pending…we are now expecting to complete the work on this section within three months,” said Prabhat Ranjan, MRVC spokesperson.

The Railways plans to extend this line to Borivli, which will link commuters from CST and Panvel to many major western suburbs via the harbour line.